7 March 2019

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

About ID in polling stations

Voters in ten local authorities will be required to show ID before they can vote in the local government elections in May 2019.

The voter ID pilots will take place in North West Leicestershire, Watford, Mid Sussex, Derby, Braintree, North Kesteven, Broxtowe, Craven, Woking and Pendle

 These local authorities have volunteered to pilot voter ID and they, along with the Cabinet Office, Electoral Commission, the Association of Electoral Administrators, and a wider number of local authorities as part of a reference group, have been instrumental in designing and shaping how voter ID will work in each area.

As part of this process, the Cabinet Office and the Electoral Commission have commissioned independent research agencies (Ipsos MORI and BMG research) to carry out this fieldwork at random with the eligible electorate.

This will help give insight into the design of voter ID in each of these local areas, which will help inform the evaluation of the 2019 pilots.

 Q&A

1. Why have I been contacted by Ipsos MORI/BMG and asked about voter ID?

Your number/address was selected at random by Ipsos MORI/BMG, who are carrying out research on Voter ID on the behalf of the Cabinet Office/the Electoral Commission. Your contact details will not be shared with the Cabinet Office, the Electoral Commission, or anyone else outside Ipsos MORI/BMG.

2. Will anyone have access to my personal responses?

All your answers will be confidential and merged with the answers from other interviews.

3. Where can I find out which ID I will be required to show before voting?

Your local authority will be publishing this information on their website/your local authority has published this information on their website.

4. I don’t have ID, what shall I do?

Your local authority has put in place provisions for ensuring you can obtain a form of locally produced ID to enable you to be able to vote if you do not hold any of the listed items. Some areas will accept a poll card as a form of ID, so please bring your poll card to the polling station in those areas.

5. How can you justify this pilot when there is no evidence of widespread fraud?

Lord Eric Pickles identified tackling electoral fraud as a part of wider improvements to the integrity of elections and democracy.

6. What about people in care homes?

Local authorities are working closely with stakeholders to ensure that voter ID does not risk preventing any eligible voter from voting.

7. How much will it cost? Who’s paying for the extra cost involved?

The pilots are being conducted to identify the exact impact of voter ID, including its cost, before it is introduced nationally. The additional costs for the pilots will be fully funded by Cabinet Office.

8. Will the Government provide money for more staff at polling stations?

Yes, the Government will fund this if they are needed to ensure the successful running of polls where voter ID is required.

9. Will ID be required at the next scheduled General Election?

Cabinet Office and Electoral Commission will undertake detailed evaluation of the pilots after which the Government will announce the next step to implement voter ID nationally.

10. Will these pilots still go ahead if a snap General Election is called?

Cabinet Office is focused on successfully delivering the pilots over the local elections in May 2019. There is currently no provision in law to pilot at a General Election.

11. When will this be rolled out nationally?

Cabinet Office and Electoral Commission will undertake detailed evaluations of the pilots which will provide evidence to inform the way in which ID may be implemented.

12. Not everyone has ID – will this just disenfranchise people?

It is in nobody’s interest that any elector is disenfranchised. We are working to ensure that every eligible elector is able to identify themselves before voting.